What to ride through winter...
colinut
Posts: 11
I simply don't wanna knacker my proper road bike (Surly LHT) commuting through winter with all the crap they put on the roads for the ice.
Had 2 front derailers changed last winter on my mtb (which I was commuting on) so I'm contemplating getting a crappy £50-£60 road bike to get me through winter.
What will you guys ride in the comming months?
Of course I know that if I cleaned my bike regularly it wouldn't break but:
1. I'm too lazy to clean it every week
2. Even if I wanted I wouldn't have the time to look after it properly
Had 2 front derailers changed last winter on my mtb (which I was commuting on) so I'm contemplating getting a crappy £50-£60 road bike to get me through winter.
What will you guys ride in the comming months?
Of course I know that if I cleaned my bike regularly it wouldn't break but:
1. I'm too lazy to clean it every week
2. Even if I wanted I wouldn't have the time to look after it properly
0
Comments
-
I've got an old raleigh that I got off of ebay for £65. I't's got down tube shifters. It's not that good tbh, but like you, I don't want to ruin my "proper" bike.0
-
Do you need gears for your commute?
I only ask cos someone pointed out on here yesterday that you can get a singlespeed BTwin Vitamin for £70 from Decathlon. V-brakes and takes fatter tyres and mudguards with ease. Nice fat industrial strength singlespeed chain, and no mechs to corrode or go out of adjustment. Perfect flatland commuter I'd have thought.0 -
+1 I ride a singlespeed for my Winter commute and an old gash flat to drop bar conversion for winter training.
My good bike is carbon, I'd be mad to ride that in the rain...... *shakes head*0 -
just bought myself a cheap spesh langster.
will be getting a raceguards fitted later tonight, new cables for brakes and some new tyres and i'm set for winter. its not as cheap as some, but i wanted something that would still motivate me to ride through the winter and not wish it was summer again so i could get my nice bike out.0 -
the_prophet wrote:just bought myself a cheap spesh langster.
Me too as it goes was going to wait for the 2011 Langster until I heard it was identical (bar the paint job) to 2010 and £500 instead of £450, then I saw the 2010 for £380 and that made my mind up.....0 -
good price! was looking at the 2010 model myself, but love the silver 09 model, and one came up 2nd hand. feels great so far. im impressed. fitted a surly chain tug to it to help out with tensioning the chain. was struggling to get it tight enough without.
tommorrow will be its first commute, looking forward to it.0 -
In winter I train on a steel Salsa Casseroll, 105, 35mm tyres (tubeless 8)) with full length mudguards.
In summer I train on a steel Salsa Casseroll, 105, 35mm tyres (tubeless) without mudguards.
I believe in practical bikes
0 -
Just bought this for £41 off ebay.
Should do the job
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 500wt_1154
hehe0 -
colinut wrote:Just bought this for £41 off ebay.
Should do the job
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 500wt_1154
hehe
no offence fella, but after one ride on that you will looking for the nearest skip to dump it in....
Winter riding is not about riding a piece of junk - it's about riding a bike which protects you from the elements and is capable of getting you out reliably for anything between 2-5 hours in the worst of the weather.0 -
much appreciated advice softlad, yet this would be used for a 20 min commute in the morning to work and back.
ill still use my surly for the long (every other weekend or so) tours.
and it seems others are doing same. junk bike for junk streets/weather0 -
Old bike doesn't have to be c**p bike.
I picked up a 1987 Raleigh 'Pro Tour' bike of a fellow club member for free last winter. 531 tubing; full 'guards; down tube shifters; a comfortable and reasonable ride. I've put on a Tiagra compact and replaced the wheels with new cheap but sturdy winter hoops since I got it.
I only clean it occasionally (although it is kept well lubed). I had thought about getting a new winter bike but to be honest for winter training rides and commuting a £6 - 700 Ribble or Surosa bike isn't going to make a big difference to my ride.
It depends what you want and are prepared to pay. It's no good buying a piece of junk but you can probably pick up a second hand bike relatively cheaply that'll be ok for winter riding. You'll still have to replace parts (rims wear much quicker in winter and parts corrode quickly if not cleaned).
I don't have the time to clean the salt and grime off my good summer bike each ride in the depths of winter so the Raleigh is ideal.0 -
The LHT should stand up to winter use very well. I winterize my bikes with:
car wax outer coat.
WD40 or wax inside the tubes
Use fully sheathed brake cables.
wax all exposed cables and bolt heads.
Pack hub, headset, pedal bearings full of grease
You can wax the metal of your derailleurs to help them shed dirt.
If you want a specific winter bike then any road bike with rack and mudguard eyelets and clearance for winter tyres will do the job. Ive got some no-name 1980s hack that is rather nice.0 -
colinut wrote:much appreciated advice softlad, yet this would be used for a 20 min commute in the morning to work and back.
ill still use my surly for the long (every other weekend or so) tours.
and it seems others are doing same. junk bike for junk streets/weather
:roll: woah easy on the junk bike comments!
just because the langsters cheap, doesnt mean its junk. i think its awesome.0
